


Two Hours in New Hampshire

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Pre-White House (West Wing)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-20
Updated: 2005-03-20
Packaged: 2019-05-30 09:15:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15093722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: With an easy victory behind them, CJ tries to fight the heat from Danny's spark.





	Two Hours in New Hampshire

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Two Hours in New Hampshire**

**by: Kansas J. Miller**

**Pairing(s):** CJ/Danny  
**Category(s):** Pre-WH  
**Rating:** CHILD  
**Summary:** With an easy victory behind them, CJ tries to fight the heat from Danny's spark.  


~*~  
  
        CJ Cregg stood backstage, side by side with Toby Ziegler and Josh Lyman, watching Governor Jed Bartlet as he addressed a large crowd of supporters. It was nearly quarter to nine; the polls had been closed in New Hampshire for almost an hour and they had all but stolen the nation's first primary election. With nearly fifty-seven percent of the vote, Bartlet had swept his home state, coming away with more Granite State support than any of the senior staff had predicted, even in their headiest projections.  
  
        "I love it! We haven't been in here in five days! And yet look at this!" Toby yelled into CJ's ear, projecting his voice to rise above the chanting and cheering of the crowd.  
  
        CJ grinned, shivering a bit, both at Toby's optimism and the chill in her bones. Though it was comfortable inside the Manchester Holiday Inn conference center that they were using for their victory rally, CJ had just gotten used to South Carolina's sixty-degree weather. To be plunked back down in the frigid Northeast after five days had been quite the shock. She leaned her head closer to her old friend. "I know! But we won't get this lucky twice! We're gonna have to make a serious case to voters in South Carolina if we want to get this thing really going!"  
  
        Josh jumped into the conversation, simultaneously applauding at one of the Governor's most rousing lines. "Hey, I think we've got enough momentum to carry even more than one of the primaries next week!"  
  
        "We've just gotta get out of New Hampshire!" CJ yelled back, joining in the raucous clapping and cheering that was now too overbearing for conversation. Balloons fell from the rig above the stage, and yet another exuberant cry went up, hailing New Hampshire's greatest son, tonight, the landslide victor.  
  
~*~  
  
        It was just after ten pm and the rally attendees were almost done filtering out of the Holiday Inn. Governor Bartlet was finishing up a live satellite interview with Larry King, and as Leo, Toby, and Josh prepared for their departure, CJ was charged with corralling their press. Members of the media stood in the make-shift press area in the lobby, either chattering amongst themselves or on cell phones, all trying to file stories and make their deadlines. Stepping up onto a chair near the front of the room, CJ thought a moment before deciding to elevate herself onto the table.  
  
        "Guys! Can I get your attention!?" A moment of noise passed, and CJ frowned.  
  
"HEY!"  
  
        Sam Seaborn chuckled from his vantage point at the back of the room as the press continued to clamor loudly. As the reporters continued to ignore CJ, Sam stuck two fingers in his mouth, whistling with the pitch of a coming train. Silence fell over the thirty or so members of the press with a sudden thud, most of them turning to glaring curiously at Sam. With amusement, Sam raised his hand and pointed their attention back towards where CJ was still standing on the table.  
  
        Smirking at Sam and rolling her eyes, CJ cleared her throat. "I've got time for just a few questions. And I mean *a few*! We're shooting to get back on the road by ten-thirty."  
  
        "What's your reaction to the Governor's win tonight, seeing as he didn't even spend a full day in the past week campaigning here?"  
  
        CJ shrugged candidly at the reporter. "Well, Jonathon, we couldn't see spending any more time in Governor Bartlet's home state when our polling - and everyone else's polling - showed us as the clear winner over Senators Hoynes and Wiley."  
  
        Danny Concannon was in the middle of the press pack, watching CJ as she answered another question. Her hair was wild tonight, most likely from the increased southern humidity she'd been immersed in for the past five days, and she looked naturally gorgeous. Just, Danny thought with a slight warmth, like she'd looked last week in Iowa after they'd kissed. Danny couldn't stop thinking about their brief, late-night tangle, and he wondered if it was on CJ's mind, too. They hadn't talked once since then, outside of the daily briefings, and Danny knew he had to set things straight with CJ. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable around him, but mostly, he wanted to stop feeling so guilty.  
  
Turning his attention back to the politics at hand, Danny had to marvel. The Bartlet campaign had rolled into New Hampshire right around eight that night, just as the polls were closing, and Danny found it incredible that they'd pulled off such a glaring win. "CJ!" He yelled, raising his voice over his colleagues.  
  
        Towering over the press, CJ easily caught sight of the red-headed reporter. Their eyes met strongly as she gestured towards him. "Danny?"  
  
        "Does the Governor plan to spend more than *two hours* in any of the other states set to vote next week, or do retail politics no longer have a place in this campaign?" Danny asked with a grin, his question part- sarcastic, part-serious.  
  
        CJ raised her brow, smiling like a cat, quick with a response. "Well, I'll admit that we got off easy here in New Hampshire, and I'll also admit that now that this primary is over, this campaign is about to go national. We're not going to take for granted our spread of support, and we're going to try to widen and maximize whatever media attention we can get. That being said, we're also not going to forget about the message we've been trying to deliver since Iowa."  
  
        CJ let her eyes slide away from Danny. She couldn't let herself linger too long on the thought of what had happened in Iowa; their encounter a week ago had left her slightly reeling - she hated the fact that she liked his kiss so much. Her eyes landing on Sam, who was anxiously gesturing at his watch, CJ shook her head and threw her thoughts back to work. "Sorry, guys, Sam's saying we've gotta go. I'll be available for more comment when we get back to South Carolina in the morning."  
  
        "Will you be on the press bus?" Someone called out as CJ expertly dismounted from the table.  
  
        Grinning at the press, CJ gestured behind her at her assistant. "Sorry, Steve, but Carol drew the short straw this time. Don't drive her nuts - try to get some sleep. We've got a full day tomorrow starting in Columbia."  
  
        With that, CJ joined Sam and they quickly began walking. As Carol began calling out directions and information, Danny slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and watched as CJ disappeared from the room.  
  
~*~  
  
        CJ could hear the Governor's loud and charismatic voice even from her position at the back of the moving entourage of staff. Bringing up the rear, CJ kept glancing behind her. The last thing she wanted was to strand someone in Manchester.  
  
        "I've gotta tell you guys, I was really surprised when Larry King suggested we might not do this well in South Carolina. Can you believe that?" Governor Bartlet chuckled, his sarcasm turned on, characteristic and infectious.  
  
        Toby glanced back at CJ and rolled his eyes good-naturedly at her before turning to Leo. "We have *got* to come up with an airtight media strategy before we get to Columbia. This has been part of the discussion all week, but now that Hoynes is going to be down there, too, we really have to cement our plans. I don't want this campaign getting bogged down or thrown off track because we didn't cross our t's."  
  
        "Talk on the bus!" Leo suggested in a 'what do you want me to do' tone of voice. Raising his brow at the bearded speechwriter, Leo began walking faster while Toby turned his attention to Sam. They were rapidly approaching the bus, and he wanted his instructions to be clear before they all boarded.  
  
        "Listen, this has to be you and CJ. Stay up all night if that's what it takes, but I want something set in stone by morning!"  
  
        Sam glanced at CJ, who shrugged in resignation. The young communications expert turned accusingly towards Josh. "What are the two of *you* working on all night?"  
  
        Josh covered the mouthpiece of his cell and looked distractedly at Sam, the entourage getting closer to the waiting bus. "What?"  
  
        "I said-" Sam began, cutting himself off. It didn't matter. "Never mind. Who are you talking to?"  
  
        "Donna," Josh responded, stopping at the door of the bus to let everyone stream past him.  
  
        Sam stopped, too. "Who's Donna?"  
  
        CJ joined them, doing a mental count as she watched the staffers filter up the stairs of the coach bus. "Oh, the blonde, right?" She looked at Sam with one eye, the other still keeping track of their people. "His new assistant."  
  
        "You found an assistant?" Sam said, impressed. "Thank God."  
  
"Well, technically she found me," Josh replied, distracted with the call. "Yeah, sorry, I'm here. I need all three South Carolina binders on that shelf. And the Delaware and Oklahoma ones, while you're at it. No, you're not gonna make the bus. We're about to head out, just catch the train, and expense it..."  
  
Sam looked at CJ, shrugged again and headed up the stairs, disappearing onto the bus with his laptop case hanging over his shoulder. Shooing the still-talking Josh onto the bus, CJ found herself to be the last person standing outside. Pulling her overnight bag closer to her body, CJ was just about to take the first step up onto the bus when she heard her name.  
  
Stopping, she looked towards the sound. "Danny, what are you doing? The press bus is around the corner."  
  
The redheaded reporter jogged up to her, catching his breath as he stopped in front of the Bartlet Victory Express bus. "I know, but we've still got a few minutes. I wanted to talk to you."  
  
CJ eyed the reporter strangely. "Danny, we're trying to get on the road. Do you see this bus, engine running, everyone on it but me?"  
  
Danny stuffed his hands down into the pockets of his black overcoat. He held CJ's gaze in his as he shook his head. "I know, but I feel like I've been avoiding you, and I didn't want you to think that I am."  
  
CJ glanced up at the bus driver and then back at Danny. "Why would I think you're avoiding me?"  
  
Danny cleared his throat, his breath white in the chilly, late-January air. "Well, after what happened last week in Iowa, I feel like I might have been treating you with - or behaving in a manner that was-" he cut himself off and smiled shyly as CJ watched him. "I'm sorry," he softened his tone. "I just really like you, that's all."  
  
CJ shifted her feet and smiled genuinely at Danny. She shook her head and glanced up at the clear, cold, New Hampshire sky before settling her eyes back on Danny. "I really like you, too. But Danny, I know you understand why-"  
  
His eyes widened and the reporters stepped momentarily closer to the spokeswoman, stopping her from continuing. "Hey, that's all I needed to hear." He gestured behind him and began stepping away, back pedaling. "I've gotta get back to the press bus."  
  
CJ shook her head, a half-grin covering her expression. "See you in South Carolina," she called, stepping onto the campaign bus. Danny was such an enigma, and CJ knew she had to keep fighting the way he'd been able to make her heart race and her stomach flip. With a big sigh, she made it onto the bus and watched as the driver shut the door behind her. "Thanks for waiting."  
  
"We ready to drive, Miss Cregg?"  
  
CJ tossed her duffel into the overhead storage as she glanced at the driver. "Let's hit the road," CJ confirmed before walking back to join Sam. "It's now or never," she murmured under her breath, letting out a deep breath as she flopped into the seat across from Sam. Ready or not, South Carolina was coming. It was time to make their case to a whole new set of voters. 


End file.
